culture

People call officials and teachers of the Pyongyang Orphanage “mothers with many children”, for they regard all of the children in the orphanage as their own children.

Choe Song Ran, 70-year-old People’s Teacher and head of the orphanage, has brought up more than 1 000 orphans so far.

Saying she is very satisfied to see the children growing up, she added that she feels a very special feeling whenever she receives photos or greetings cards on holidays from those who attended the orphanage.

“I have a lump in my throat whenever I receive letters from those who became army officers,” she said, recollecting a child retrospectively.

As he was so particular about foods and timid, she paid more attention to him. She would prepare his favourite foods and sat up at his bedside all night to cure him whenever he was ill.

She was so devoted to all the children they called her “mum”.

Accountant Jang Myong Hwa, who has been working at the orphanage together with Choe for decades, has also many children.

“I was in charge of Kim Jin Song who was very clever yet vehement to vex me, Ryu Song, a pampered and dear child, and Ju Hyon who was especially good at singing. It seems like yesterday, but they have all grown up,” Jang recalled.

She often carried Jin Song on her back to tell him fairy tales and put in much effort to develop the sense of sound of Ryu Song and Ju Hyon.

They now superbly play the accordion and guitar and sing well on stages of artistic performances.

Jang said she was filled with greatest happiness when children in her charge gave pleasure to the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un and were awarded the Kim Jong Il Children Honour Prize and “Our Classroom” Literature Prize.

There are also “girl mothers” in the orphanage.

Although they have never given birth to child, they look after orphaned children with maternal affection and care.

All the employees of the orphanage channel big efforts into the education of children true to General Secretary Kim Jong Un’s request to bring the children up well so that renowned scientists, sportspersons, artistes, soldiers and heroes could be produced from among them.

Lots of children who attended the orphanage are now cultivating their talents to their heart’s content at Pyongyang primary and middle schools for orphans and universities to prepare themselves to be reliable pillars shouldering the bright future of the country.

“We find greatest joy, happiness and worth of life from the word ‘mother’ the children call without reserve. We just want to do our best in order to be honourable to the call,” said Choe Song Ran.